Parole Office Notes Accreditation

The Lehigh County Adult Probation and Parole Office yesterday was hailed as a "pioneer" in the state and nation at a ceremony held to mark the department's national accreditation.

County officials, judges and legislators praised the department for achieving accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Corrections. Lehigh County's office is the second county office in the country to receive certification from the commission.

Since 1978, the commission has accredited 16 other agencies, primarily federal and state agencies.

The office evaluated its policies and procedures and revised and developed programs as one part of the process to get accreditation. Commission auditors visited the office to verify its compliance with applicable standards.

Dr. Robert H. Fosen, the commission's executive director, said that of all the probation offices which have gained accreditation, Lehigh County's stands alone for reaching the highest level of compliance with national standards.

Fosen labeled the office "the best probation department in the United States."

Probation plays an important role, Fosen said, in a society where crime is "out of control in many communities," where only half of all rapes and armed robberies are reported, elderly go places in groups and darkened streets are devoid of people, who want to be free of the "fear and threat of crime."

Without probation, "We'd be locking everybody up," Fosen said, adding that people come out of prison with little more than they went in with, but through probation can seek help with family problems and learning skills.

"You're a pioneer in your own state and nationally," Fosen told the probation staff.

Speaking on behalf of the probation officers and staff, Schroeder said the office will continue to improve the standards that won it accreditation.

Deputy Attorney General Gregory B. Abeln, who had been a probation officer, read a letter of congratulations from state Attorney General LeRoy Zimmerman.

The public's attention often is focused on riots and escapes at prisons but rarely on probation and parole services, Abeln said.

The accreditation is not merely winning an award, he said, but "bringing yourself to a performance level that you wanted to achieve."

One out of every 35 adult men in the United States is on probation or parole or in prison. Offenders under community supervision outnumber those in prisons 3-1, Abeln said.

Of those on probation, 60-80 percent complete their probationary period without getting into more trouble with the law. Two-thirds of those who are back in the court system are returned on technical violations, not for new crimes, he said.

Probation services reduce the possibility of offenders' committing more crimes and save taxpayers money by keeping offenders out of jail, Ritter said.

A congressional citation of commendation said the Lehigh County department "has entered into a new era in the field of probation and parole services."

Fred Jacobs, chairman of the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, credited county judges and government leaders for supporting the county probation department.

Members of the Allen High School band played before Kipp welcomed those who attended the presentation in the Old Lehigh County Courthouse.

Among those at the presentation were County Executive David K. Bausch; State Sen. Guy M. Kratzer, R-16th District; State Rep. Paul McHale, D-133rd District, and Commonwealth Court Judge Madaline Palladino.